Tips for York --- New comer

[phillyreading]

From my memory of Pennsylvania, York is not too far from Lancaster & only a few miles outside of Lancaster is the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg, also the Choo Choo Barn and Strasburg Railroad line.  Not far from there is the Red Caboose Motel or Inn featuring cabooses as rooms to sleep in.

If you venture a little further northeast to Shartlesville on I-78 near Hamburg is Roadside America, a place with a huge O gauge layout, open most of the year.

Lee F.

[Joe Hohmann]

Don, There are a ton of smaller towns around York.  I think those are the places to stay.  Jon stayed between York and Gettysburg.  If you get serious about coming to York, send me an email and I can give you a list of places to try.  Even got a spare room if you care to travel to York with me.  Only live 35 miles away.

This is the best advice you can get...so plan now for a Spring trip, and take John up on his generous offer. You don't have to spend much for this awesome "toy train experiance". Some trips I've only spent $85. The fun is in the looking/learning for me. Joe

[11th Street]

First off, please be aware that the York meets sometimes can conflict with religious observances! The last 3 Spring meets have coincided with Eastern Orthodox Easter Holy Week.  My Jewish friends have mentioned that the Fall '05 meet fell on their high holy days.  So if you celebrate important holidays, scheduled meet dates might become important.

Legend had it that prices were better in the Spring than in the Fall.  Then again prices continue to fall so that might not mean much now a days. There were times I found prices after Friday 4:00 PM most flexible.  In truth York is a very organic and ever changing animal; I usually find that I have to spend an hour or 2 just to get a feel for what the inventory is and what  is the pricing situation at the given show. (I'm not joking about this) Sometime the pricing at a show was a function of how well the stock market was doing (but that was in the jolly bubble days!)  Expect to find many of the vendors that you see advertising in the major magazines.  They may or may not be more flexible than over the phone.  Last weekend I saw sellers from as far west as Chicago and as far south as Florida.

I find the value of York for me is in seeing product: pre/post war, new releases etc., however, let me quickly add that what you might see is not always what you are looking for.  And therein lies one of York's peculiarities.  Again & again I have found that the preparation of a preshopping list can be difficult and sometimes pointless. Yes, it is important to develop a plan, but just as important to be flexible, and that might mean actually buying very little, or becomming frustrated that you should have come better prepared in that "other area" of interest of yours.

Expect to find vendor/seller attitudes to be all over the place.  And that has nothing to do with your level of experience or expertise in the hobby. So don't become depressed or overwhelmed if things aren't going as well as you hoped.  Remember it's a buyer's market. Change halls; look at something else. Come with plenty of questions, from time to time you might even get some good answers.

Is York important?  Sure, it's where the hobby and important players meet twice a year.  Serious repairmen claim that it is still the only place to buy obscure pre/postwar parts.

Whereas prior to 2001, I would spend serious money at York, I have found over the last 5 years that I'm making 90% of my purchases over Ebay and very nominal purchasing at York. That is not only because the buys are seldom at York now, but also vendors tend to bring restricted inventories. As for reliability and credibility of York product vs. Ebay, I find I have to be just as careful in each of the two venues.

There are plently of useful things you can do while you wait.  If you haven't already, get yourself a reasonably new price guide (ie. I saw TM's '05 postwar guide being sold by the author for $10 Saturday). You can follow pricing on Ebay (remember "everyday is 'York' day on Ebay"). And see if you can get on all the major manufacturer's mailing lists.  Your public library system might also be a treasure trove of books & magazines. And of course there is the 'net.

As for "bring plenty of money," since 2001, I have found that some of my best York experiences have been walking away, and congratulating myself that little had found it's way into my trunk!

As always, cheers, and YMMV.

[jonadel]

John is right, we stayed in Hanover at the Hampton Inn and it was wonderful--19.4 miles to the parking lot in front of the orange hall.

It looks like we timed our trip just right, gas went up .11 per gallon tonight--I filled up this morning at a $1.93.

Jon

[jefelectric]

Don, There are a ton of smaller towns around York.  I think those are the places to stay.  Jon stayed between York and Gettysburg.  If you get serious about coming to York, send me an email and I can give you a list of places to try.  Even got a spare room if you care to travel to York with me.  Only live 35 miles away.

[jonadel]

Go to PA early and enjoy the beauty of that state. Lots of history and IMO easy to get around. If time is not an issue plan for a solid week in PA, if you live close by--disregard these suggestions and just take a lot of money.

Jon

[dwiemer]

From reading Brian's post and also from just knowing how I am with the Moola, I think I would be better off having a list of what I need and just limiting it to that and perhaps a few smaller items.  I could drop a lot of change at a place like that.  Probably a good thing I am so far away.

Dennis

[brianel027]

Don, as you might be able to guess from some of my prior postings, I'm no big fan of what I call the "YORK mentality." Add on the so-called "collector" element of the hobby and the new expensive electronics.

That said, everyone should have the chance to go to the YORK show at least once. I've been a couple of times. It is very hard to see "everything" in one single day, so you might want to plan on at least a couple, especially if you are coming from some distance. Now, nevermind the actual show or what trains you might purchase.... all of the regional hotels are quite well aware of the YORK show and thus raise their lodging rates: the old rule of supply and demand.

Even staying an hour away from YORK, you will find hotels take advantage of the situation. I've stayed almost an hour away and still saw plenty of guys wearing train hats and jackets checking put first thing in the morning. Irecall even seeing some guys wearing K-Line shirts, so I knew this was coincidence - they were heading off to YORK.

You won't be able to control gas costs, or lodging. I'd roughly plan on $100+ per night. If you eat on the cheap you can keep that cost down. Telling you to not buy trains is sort of silly if you have never been to YORK. I mean, you are going to see more trains for sale in one place than you have ever seen before. And with any luck, you'll even get some deals on things you actually want. So you want to be sure to have plenty of "play" money for trains.

The last time I went, it seemed dealers wanted to sell.. at least the stuff I was looking for. I recall seeing a K-Line S-2 and before I even got serious the dealer knocked 50% off the sticker price... of course I bought it! How could I not? That was a good deal, and I didn't even have to ask. Of course, you will also see dealers asking much better than mint prices for stuff that ranks as sheer junk... that's just the nature of the game.

As far as spring versus fall, it's your choice. You do get to see the colorful foilage in the fall. The spring meet tends to feature more of the new upcoming products from the manufacturers, since they usually have just released their new catalogs. In addition to buying trains, you do get to see nearly all the 3-rail train makers... if not the owners and upper level folks, at least company reps.

The other thing is that you notice is that the typical YORK attendee is not a kid or young, thin and with most of his hair.

Nonetheless, start saving your dollars. You may not go twice, but you should go to YORK at least once. It is pretty amazing.

[Bob Keller]

Comfy shoes can make it or break it.

[dougdagrump]

Leave credit cards, ATM cards, check books, etc at home.

[dwiemer]

Do they have shops that you can hoc your jewlery like in Atlantic City so that you can buy one more thing?  This would be  a great way to make some extra cash.  I could bring my wife and make sure she has plenty of cash, I mean jewlery, so that we can fill the trunk.  Perhaps I can forget a few suitcases on the way home so that I can have more room for trains.

Dennis

PS; How mad do you think she can get anyway?

[laz 57]

Don- If you go to York, Bring lots of Peanut Butter & Honey for Laz's 800lb Bear if you get a Hotel in Famous Millersburg,Pa Take Care

Or a PICANIC BASKET?

laz57

[Jumijo]

Rumor has it that the Day's Inn near York is not the place to stay. 

 

Well, the dorkwad hat might have had something to do with it.

[1688torpedo]

Don- If you go to York, Bring lots of Peanut Butter & Honey for Laz's 800lb Bear if you get a Hotel in Famous Millersburg,Pa Take Care

[Buckeye Riveter]

Rumor has it that the Day's Inn near York is not the place to stay. 

 

[laz 57]

DON,

  I like the fall better cause its like the unofficial start of train season.  Gets you reved up for Christmas and also it when I take my wife so she can get my gifts there too.

  Lodging is not aproblem if you stay outside of York.  Harrisburg, Gettyburg or Lancaster are all short drives and there is lots to see in those towns too.  Probably cheaper rates too?

  Bring lots o cash.

laz57

[dbaker48]

While it is fresh in everyone's mind, any tips for a new comer to York.
If you could only attend one show which is better? Spring or Fall?
Is lodging an issue?
How long is a reasonable stay?
Looking forward to go in the next 12 to 18 mths, depending on $, any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks
I sure the 1st advice is: bring plenty of bucks.